


Finally Able To Feel Safe

by writing_regen



Series: This Could Not Get Any Worse, Right? (WRONG) [1]
Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: AU, Akira gets the nap he deserves, And at this point he has 8, Because i love them and he needs love, Except only Akira, Fluff, Found Family, Gen, M/M, Mutual Pining, Not Beta Read, Personas Can Talk To Their Users, Ryuji/Akira IMPLIED, Takes place after Madarames Palace, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, and everyone helps him get it, and he is tired, but subtle - Freeform, but this is mostly platonic, constantly, in his head, pure fluff, the time line is probably fucked up but shhh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-07
Updated: 2019-07-07
Packaged: 2020-06-24 06:48:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19718380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writing_regen/pseuds/writing_regen
Summary: Ann stood up abruptly, almost knocking the mug of coffee in front of her over as she shook the table, much to Akira’s displeasure, “Okay, no. We can have this argument later. Right now. I’m calling an emergency Phantom Thieves mission. Objective: Get Akira Some Sleep.” She declared.Or: Akira's Personas won't shut up and he just wants a nap. Luckily his friends are here to help.





	Finally Able To Feel Safe

**Author's Note:**

> This is the softest thing I've ever written. This is ten pages of pure self-indulgent fluff. Please enjoy

Akira’s day started with him having to hold an intervention.

Inside his own head. 

“If I hear another word about which kind of noodle is better, I’m executing both of you the next chance I get. Got it? You.. you can’t even eat!” 

It hadn’t always been this way. First, his mind was silent. Then, he had awakened Arsene, and they had been fine together.

After the discovery he could hold multiple masks… that’s when things started to go downhill. He didn’t think having eight different  _ demons _ (basically) clamoring to have their voices heard would leave anyone in a good mood. 

It also meant he hadn’t had a good night's sleep in  _ months _ and it left him on edge and short-tempered. 

The rest of the Phantom Thieves were starting to notice: shooting worried glances his way when they thought he couldn’t see them, not-so-subtle suggestions that he take a day to rest, it had gotten so bad that one day he discovered Ann had left a pillow in his desk at school, claiming she “didn’t want to see him hurt himself the next time he fell asleep in the middle of class” (which had only happened once, and nearly sent him in to cardiac arrest when he was startled awake, so he didn’t exactly plan on doing that again if he could avoid it. Though he appreciated the thought). But he didn’t want them to worry. In fact, it was the last thing he wanted. He was meant to be their leader, someone they could rely on, who was confident in their decisions, and the rock the team so desperately needed with everyone being thrust on them so suddenly. And... shit, he never stopped trying to live up to their expectations, but he could tell how miserably he was failing and he  _ hated  _ it.

He was startled out of his self-deprecating spiral by an arm being thrown over his shoulders, effectively throwing him back to the reality where he was currently with the three other Phantom Thieves at LeBlanc, talking about nothing and just enjoying each other’s company in the week of Madarame’s change of heart. 

“Dude, no offense, but you look like shit,”

“Ryuji!” That was Ann’s voice. It took him a moment to place everyone’s names and voices, kind of like he was thinking through a fog. 

“What? I’m just bein’ honest.” Ryuji didn’t sound truly defensive. More amused (and maybe a little concerned) than anything. 

“To be fair, he does look significantly less put together than he has in past meetings.” Yusuke agreed, his words definitely layered with more obvious concern (in Yusuke’s own way).

The thought that they all felt like they could be themselves around each other, no masks, caused the shadow of a smile to flit across his expression.

**“And yet you still try to keep a crumbling mask up around them”**

**_“Arsene don’t even try and be fucking deep right now. Not even an hour ago you were trying to convince Akira to take revenge on a stranger,”_ **

**_“ To be fair, the passenger was unnecessarily aggressive,”_ **

**_“Oh, I am so not getting into this with you too. This is even worse than your heathen ass hating pasta”_ **

**“Oh, now you’ve started it -”**

And there went Akira’s moment of positivity. The smile disappeared and he reached one hand up to rub at his temples, leaning back against Ryuji’s arm that was still around his shoulder and hissing, 

“I… you guys can’t even eat just  _ shut the fuck up _ and let me have this  _ please,” _

The table fell into silence almost immediately, the sudden confusion and unease almost palpable. Akira didn’t seem to notice, eyes closed, frowning as he continued applying pressure to his temples like if he just pressed hard enough he could silence the voices in his head. 

Finally, Ryuji broke the silence, obviously bewildered as he gawked at the obviously exhausted boy who seemed to be using his arm as a pillow, “Man, what the hell?”

Akira immediately stiffened at the words, sitting straight up and glancing around the table, “Oh… oh no, I didn’t -”

“Say that out loud? Yeah, totally.” Ann finished for him, watching him with a raised eyebrow as he groaned and slouched forward, burying his face in his hands.

Dragging his hands down his face before sighing and straightening, he decided that there was no point denying there was an issue, lest he makes it worse and causes them to think he was completely mentally unstable, “Ok, so you know how your Personas will sometimes talk to you in your head?” He began, only to stop at the unexpected befuddlement all around him. 

“Wait, you can hear your Persona all the time? Not just when they’ve been summoned?” Morgana asked, sitting up from where they had been lounging across the table.

The question gave Akira pause, and he felt a cold dread coil at the pit of his stomach, and his voice was small and wary when he answered, “Yes? I thought that was normal. Doesn’t everyone?”

Ann shook her head, “The only time I can talk to Carmen is when I summon her in the Metaverse,”

“Yeah man. I think me ‘n Captain Kidd have exchanged, like… maybe three words since the first time he was summoned?” He rolled his eyes, face flushing slightly as he added, “He’s normally too busy talking to Arsene to speak to me much anyway,”

In any other situation, Akira would have been immediately sheepish at the reminder of the… rather close relationship between their Personas, which was not helped when he felt Arsene practically  _ purr  _ at the back of his mind, which was disturbing enough in and of itself.

Morgana thankfully continued speaking, oblivious to his inner turmoil, “No, I don’t think I’ve ever heard of someone being able to speak to their Personas like you’re describing. And they’re  _ always _ there?” 

Akira offered a mute nod as an answer, twisting his lips at the reminder of his complete lack of privacy even within his own mind.

**“You’d be lost without us.”**

_ “Oh, I really wouldn’t. I’d get some sleep without you, that’s for sure.” _

**_“Ouch, Wildcard! I thought we meant something to you”_ **

“-kira? You with us?” 

He blinked several times, forcing himself back into the current conversation and out of his head, only to be confronted with several pairs of worried expressions, and Ryuji’s face  _ way  _ too close to his own. 

Which he reacted to very naturally, and definitely did  _ not  _ find his face flushing bright red as he barely suppressed a squeak, breathing a sigh of relief when the boy finally leaned back (although he did fail to notice there was still an arm loosely stretched over his shoulders).

“So, got stuck in a conversation or something?” Ryuji asked, eyes narrowed slightly.

At Akira’s small nod, Morgana physically perked up, walking over with shining eyes, “Really? What were they saying? What did they sound like?”

Pursing his lips, he answered the first question as vaguely as he could, not wanting to get into the many odd conversations he was forced to overhear, “They’re… arguing. And… I don’t know? They’re all different, and I guess it’s… it’s almost like a feeling, more than anything. But I know exactly what they’re saying.” With a sigh, he added under his breath, “Even when I wish I didn’t,”

If Morgana was disappointed in his terse answers, they didn’t show it, looking nothing short of fascinated as they sat back on their haunches with a small hum. 

Glancing around the table, Akira noted that Ann looked a little perturbed at the revelation, Yusuke… well he could never tell what Yusuke was thinking, but he didn’t look particularly caught off-guard, and Ryuji looked concerned, like he had just put together a puzzle and didn’t like the image it fit together. 

“So that’s why you’ve been so off your game recently, huh? I mean, you almost passed out right at the entrance to Mementos the other day, and scared the crap out of us thinkin’ you’d gotten hit by something.”

Akira flushed at the reminder, finding the table to suddenly be more interesting than the amused realization on his friends' faces, “Maybe... yes. It’s not  _ that _ bad, okay” He protested weakly, before looking back up at the group.

“Akira… when was the last time you actually had enough sleep?” Morgana asked, voice caught somewhere between exasperated and concerned.

“Oh, uh… it started getting bad partway into Kamoshida’s palace, I think? That’s when I started collecting so many masks.”

The reaction was instantaneous and overwhelming (from everyone except Yusuke, who hadn’t been there for that long, and either way, never seemed to show much emotion if he could help it).

“Since Kamosh - Akira, it's been  _ ages _ !” 

“Dude, how are you even upright right now? Damn.”

“As the leader of the Phantom Thieves, you should take more caution in taking care of yourself!”

Their other protests ended up blending together in a cacophony of noise that did nothing to help his growing headache. Burying his face in his arms with a groan, he offered a muffled platitude, “Look, I get it. I know it's not good and I probably should have brought it up earlier, but I didn’t want to worry anyone! Plus, I thought it was normal for them to talk to you, and this was just… a side effect of having so many.”

**_“_ ** **_Like anything about your connection to the Metaverse is normal,”_ **

_ “Not helping!” _

“I’m surprised I didn’t notice anything earlier. The amount of distress in your expression is an amazing source of inspiration,”

Akira lifted his head enough to glare at the artist, “Thanks, Yusuke. I’m glad my turmoil can provide  _ something  _ other than exhaustion.”

Ann stood up abruptly, almost knocking the mug of coffee in front of her over as she shook the table, much to Akira’s displeasure, “Okay, no. We can have this argument later. Right now. I’m calling an emergency Phantom Thieves mission. Objective: Get Akira Some Sleep.” She declared. 

“Guys, really -”

“Oh man, now  _ this _ is a mission I can get behind!”

“Seriously -”

“Let's help out our fearless leader!”

“Come on, Yusuke help me -”

Said teenager snapped his sketchbook shut, “Well, if we are all in agreement, then I guess the decision is made. Akira and his sleeping habits are our next target,”

“It is is  _ not _ unan-!” Akira didn’t have time to finish his (admittedly weak) protest before he was dragged out of his seat when Ryuji stood up and grabbed his hand, Ann trapping him in on the other side.

Not that he could outrun them in his current state, but if there was one thing they had learned in their time as Phantom Thieves, it was better safe than sorry. 

Ann and Ryuji each looped their arms through his, matching mischievous grins on their faces. If those two were teaming up, there was no way Akira was going to get himself free, so with a sigh, he slouched slightly and resigned himself to his fate as he was dragged up the stairs to the attic he called home. 

* * *

Akira was deposited gracelessly onto his bed with a small “oof” once they were upstairs, and left by himself as the other four huddled close together, coming up with a “game plan” to help the incessant chatter of Personas in his mind manageable enough for a  _ real  _ nap (as Ryuji so eloquently put it). 

Watching them with their heads bent, whispering amongst themselves, he couldn’t help the fond smile that found itself on his lips, amusement and gratefulness twinkling in his gaze. Back home, he had thought he had had friends, but now he could see that those were one-sided at best, and downright toxic at worst. Now, he saw a support system he hadn’t known he could have, and… maybe it was okay to drop some of his masks around them. For a long time, Akira had been afraid to show any weakness, to break his composure in even the smallest of ways around them. He was supposed to be their leader, and… he still was. But more than that, he was their friend. And he would keep repeating that to himself to try and combat the guilt bubbling just under the surface at letting himself fall like this.

As lost in his thoughts and the dull drone of conversation between Personas as he was, he didn’t notice Ryuji approaching until it was too late, and there was an arm thrown back over his shoulders and a warm presence by his side, startling him so badly he would have fallen right off the bed if Ryuji hadn’t adjusted his grip to hold him in place with an amused snort. 

Pointedly ignoring the way his face burned at the unexpected contact, he turned his head to glare at Ryuji, who just shook his head, still shaking slightly with laughter as he pulled Akira back so he was close against his side (Ryuji also ignored the way his face was probably a bright red, but they had all agreed this was part of the best way to make sure Akira actually slept. And now that he was actually looking, he felt immensely guilty he hadn’t noticed how exhausted his best friend had been before. His posture was slouched, and now that he was able to take a closer look, he could see the makeup under his eyes, now starting to be wiped off by their hands-on approach to dragging Akira up the stairs, covering heavy dark circles. One glance at the others and he could tell they felt just as guilty, but were trying to hide it as they knew it would only make Akira feel worse about the situation). 

With Akira secured against his side, Ann switched off the lights, and Yusuke pulled out his phone, playing some obscure soft song that only he knew with a small smile. All of this accomplished, Morgana hopped onto the bed and curled up in Akira’s lap with a light purr, and Ann plopped herself down on Akira’s other side, leaning her head on his shoulder as Yusuke took the couch, sketchbook back out and the soft sound of pencil scratching on paper blending with the soft notes of the music in the background to create a pleasant, lilting euphony. 

Quietly, Ann began speaking about nothing in particular, just letting the sound of her voice carry through the room. Occasionally, the others would interject with an equally quiet comment. Akira wasn’t sure when it had happened, but he only noticed he was curled against Ryuji’s chest rather than his shoulder when he chucked at something that was said, and Akira felt the vibrations of his laughter more than heard it. Ann was still leaning against his side, her legs stretched out across the bed, and Morgana was a solid weight on his lap. Surrounded by so much warmth from all sides - Ryuji on one side, Ann on the other, Morgana, and even Yusuke’s presence, only known through the sounds of his pencil - Akira felt the tension gradually drain out of his body until he was practically boneless against Ryuji, who simply shifted slightly and tightened his grip around Akira’s back to accommodate the extra weight with no complaint except a small snort. 

Almost without him even realizing it, Akira’s eyes began to flutter closed, focusing on the steady rise and fall of Ryuji’s chest and the heartbeat under his ear, as well as the soft conversation of the others to help drown out the voices. Barely conscious, a small smile graced his features.

It had been a long time since Akira had felt this relaxed around other people - not even his family. It had been even longer since anyone could make him feel safe enough that he could drop his guard and fall asleep surrounded by their warm ambiance.

In short, Akira had never felt more loved, nor more love for others, than he did in that last moment before he blissfully drifted into a dreamless sleep, surrounded by the family he couldn’t have hoped for when he was sent to Japan, but one he wouldn’t trade for the world.

As his breathing evened out, the other four fell quiet and exchanged smiles full of relief and affection above him, glad to see him finally at ease in the way he deserved after all they had been through.

(And if/when Akira woke up hours later, more well-rested than he could remember being in a long time, there was a sketch left lying on his desk of him, Ryuji, Ann, and Morgana all curled up on top of each other with small smiles, happily asleep. Well… no one commented on how it was hanging on the wall the next time they were all there.)

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Partially dedicated to my gf who is my Ryuji in every way including being a dumbass and encouraged this tooth-rotting piece.


End file.
